I don’t know about you, but when I’m asked to bring a side dish to a dinner party my mind instantly goes blank. Can I bring an appetizer, beverage or dessert? Sure. No problem.
Now this side dish business is a whole different story. Of course it’s easy to carb it up and make some potato gratin recipe (mmmm!), but sometimes you want green. Kind of like these balsamic green beans with some almonds and cranberries.
Now here’s your go-to easy side dish that’s ready to go in no time flat.
Begin by cooking the raw green beans until they’re bright green. Toss in the special balsamic sauce, along with the almonds and dried cranberries. Toss it around, taste test a bit. That’s it!
Green beans are the perfect side for when you have a heavy meal. Think: Thanksgiving, Christmas or any Italian family’s Sunday dinner. Plus, who doesn’t love a pop of color in the dinner spread? 🙂
- 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 32 ounces green beans, trimmed and washed
- 4 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 4 tablespoons dried cranberries
- In a small bowl, mix the balsamic and honey. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle the olive oil and sauté the garlic until softened (~1 minute).
- Add the green beans to the skillet and cook 10 minutes, or until bright green.
- Pour the balsamic/honey mixture over the green beans, along with the sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Cook for 2 minutes, then serve.
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